Coupling systems that are conventionally used to connect fluid handling or transport devices together make use of tubing that is routed between the desired devices, and that is press fit against a surface of the device using a flared- or swage-type fitting. Alternatively, fluid handling or transport devices can be coupled together through the use of cooperating coupling members that extend from the devices themselves. Such integral coupling members are desired for their compact design that allows two or more such fluid handling or transport devices to be coupled together in a space efficient manner.
The use of an integral coupling system is especially desirable in applications such as valve manifolding and the like, where it is oftentimes necessary to arrange multiple valves in fluid flow communication with one another in a confined area of space. In is desirable in such applications that the valves be arranged having a determined rotational orientation vis-a-vis one another to facilitate plumbing for actuation and for fluid transport to and from the valves. For example, to facilitate the routing of pneumatic lines among a plurality of such coupled together valves, it is desired that the valve be coupled together so that each actuation inlet port is positioned facing upwardly in the same direction.
However, the use of conventional integral coupling members to couple together such fluid handling or transport devices are designed only to provide a leak-tight fit when tightened a certain amount, and are unable to maintain a leak-tight fit when the members are untightened or loosened. By the nature of their construction, such conventional integral coupling members may only provide a leak-tight fitting when the coupled devices are in a nonaligned orientation, i.e., when the two devices are not rotatably aligned with one another. Since the orientation of the coupled devices vis-vis one another depends on whether a leak-tight fit is achieved by the coupling member, the use of such conventional coupling members make it difficult if not impossible to achieve both a leak-tight fitting and a desired aligned orientation.
It is, therefore, desirable, that a coupling system be designed that is capable of providing a leak-tight fitting between coupled fluid handling or transport devices, while at the same time providing an adjustment window to permit rotational alignment of the coupled devices to achieve a desired alignment orientation.